CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.

CLINIC: We do on Tuesdays and Fridays.

CALLER: Okay. Well, how much does that cost?

CLINIC: Do you know how far along you are?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: Do you think you’re over 13 weeks?

CALLER: Well, I don’t know. I just haven’t had my period since January 3rd, and I’m just worried.

CLINIC: Okay. We only do surgeries here up to 13 weeks. And it’s $350 to be asleep and 310 to stay awake.

CALLER: Oh, okay. The thing is, I’m going to be 14 in a couple weeks, and my friend told me that you guys have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Is he old enough to take care of it, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: No. He would probably have to just sign some forms in when he gets here.

CALLER: Oh, really?

CLINIC: Yeah. And you’d have to fill out some forms saying that you weren’t forced and this is by your choice. But we would have to report that because you are under age.

CALLER: Who would you have to report it to?

CLINIC: To a department.

CALLER: Department?

CLINIC: Um-hmm.

CALLER: What department?

CLINIC: Of Health.

CALLER: Oh. Well, would they have to tell my parents?

CLINIC: Really, after you do your consent and everything, it’s doubtful. Let me find out how many more forms your boyfriend would have to do. Do you want to hold on one second?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Thanks.

(Pause)

CLINIC: Okay. So yeah, basically if your boyfriend’s going to come in with you, again we’ll just have to ask you some questions to make sure that you consented and that you weren’t forced or anything. But it does have to go to the Child Protection Agency. And it is possible that they can contact you.

CALLER: Oh. Well, I don’t want anyone to know about us. Would it just be better if he wasn’t there then?

CLINIC: If who wasn’t there?

CALLER: My boyfriend.

CLINIC: No. He doesn’t have to be here anyway. We’d still have to ask you those questions. And for us we have to report it; we have no choice. And that’s a state law.

CALLER: Oh. So there’s no way that my parents wouldn’t find out eventually?

CLINIC: It is possible that they can because you are under age. I can’t guarantee that, but by law that’s what we have to do.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Not necessarily that they will contact them, but again, you have to know that it’s possible.

CALLER: Well, what should I do then? I don’t want anyone to get in trouble.

CLINIC: And you know that could happen, right? Because he is older. But again, by law we have to report that. But we would put on there that it was consented.

CALLER: Well, yeah.

CLINIC: But again, that could happen.

CALLER: What can I do then? I mean, I don’t want to come in there and have my boyfriend get in trouble.

CLINIC: Well, we’re not going to do anything.

CALLER: But you’re going to report it, and then he’ll get in trouble, right?

CLINIC: Even if he wasn’t here we would still have to ask you who he is and that it was a consent. Because again, because you are younger and he is older, that’s what you have to do. If your parents did find out, that would have to be up to your parents. You know?

CALLER: So is there any other place I could go?

CLINIC: That’s it. Any other place that you go to — which I don’t know where you would go — by law they have to report it.

CALLER: Oh. So even though you don’t have to tell my parents, you’d have to —

CLINIC: We’re not going to tell your parents.

CALLER: Even though you don’t have to tell my parents, you’d have to report it to the people who would tell my parents?

CLINIC: Correct. Correct. Just to report the fact — because you are under age — that you are sexually active. Not necessarily they will contact your parents, but it is possible. And you would have to know that.

CALLER: Well, what if it turned out that I wasn’t pregnant?

CLINIC: Then that doesn’t matter. Then we wouldn’t have to report it.

CALLER: Oh, okay. So could I get birth control pills then?

CLINIC: You could. You’d have to get a pap smear with us, and that’s a $50 charge. I’m sorry. The price went up. It’s $80 now for a pap smear.

CALLER: Oh, okay. But you wouldn’t have to report that I was on birth control, would you?

CLINIC: Actually the nurse, I’m sure she’ll ask you some questions.

(Talking to someone else) If she were to go on the pill, would the nurse have to report that?

Okay. So we’d be able to put you on the pill but not report that. But if you did have surgery with us, that is something by law that we’d have to report.

What makes you think you’re pregnant or not pregnant?

CALLER: Well, I just haven’t had my period since like January 3rd.

CLINIC: Have you taken a pregnancy test?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: Are you using any type of birth control?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: Well, your first step probably if you want to come in here is you can get a free pregnancy test.

CALLER: Really?

CLINIC: Yeah. Or you can buy one over the counter.

CALLER: Are the ones over the counter usually right though?

CLINIC: Yeah. They’re pretty accurate. And that would be your first step. And then from there we can figure out what’s the next step. But first you want to find out if you’re pregnant or not instead of thinking about all this and worrying about all of it until you find out you are pregnant.

CALLER: Okay. All right. Well, if I was on birth control would my boyfriend be able to pick up the birth control pills? It’s just I can’t drive, and he would be the only way that —

CLINIC: He can come with you, yeah. I mean, he can’t come in the room with you or anything, but he can drive you here. You’d have the pap smear done and give you birth control pills.

CALLER: Well, even after all that to get the extra ones.

CLINIC: We’ll start you off with one pack, and then we’ll give you a prescription which you would have to take to a pharmacy.

CALLER: Oh, okay. All right. When do you guys normally do the pregnancy tests?

CLINIC: The pregnancy test is Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:15.

CALLER: Okay. Is that just like a walk-in thing?

CLINIC: Yeah, uh-huh. No appointment.

CALLER: Okay. All right. Well, let me call my boyfriend and see what he has to say.

CLINIC: Yeah, I would have him go to the store and get you a pregnancy test, and then do that first.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right. Thanks.

CLINIC: Uh-huh. Bye.

***END***

1

#204 – Planned Parenthood in Riverside, CA

Listen to the Call:

Transcript:

RECORDING: Welcome to Planned Parenthood. You have reached our Riverside clinic. To continue in English, press 1. (dial sound) Please listen carefully to the following menu options. For our clinic address press 1. For information on the services offered at this location, press 2. For walk-in hours press 3. For information on prenatal care services, press 4. For information on pregnancy termination press 5. For information on vasectomy and female sterilization, press 6. To cancel an appointment press 7. To schedule an appointment or to speak to a customer service representative, press zero. (dial sound) Thank you for calling. All of our representatives are currently helping other customers. Please stay on the line and your call will be answered in the order it was received. (music) All of our representatives are currently helping other customers. Please stay on the lien and your call will be answered in the order it was received. (repeating)

CLINIC: Planned Parenthood. This is Edith.

CALLER: Hi. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there?

CLINIC: Yes, we do. Do you have insurance?

CALLER: Well, no. My boyfriend was going to pay for it with cash.

CLINIC: Okay. How far along are you?

CALLER: I guess — well, my last period was like the first week in December.

CLINIC: Okay, let’s check here. Have you been here before?

CALLER: No.

CLINIC: Okay. If you had a period the first week in December you’re looking at being about 11 weeks. 12 weeks is more than a one-day procedure, so we need to get you in here. Gosh, we’re kind of booked right now. By the time we can see you it will be too late for a one-day procedure, and it’s more expensive and more time-consuming.

CALLER: Oh.

CLINIC: Let me give you a number to call, our San Bernardino clinic. They do surgeries more often than we do. We just do them three days a week, okay?

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: That number is 890-5511. That’s San Bernardino office.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: Well, my friend actually told me that you guys have to tell my parents before I can have an abortion. Is that true?

CLINIC: No, that’s not.

CALLER: Because there’s just no way my parents can find out at all. Like –

CLINIC: It’s all confidential.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: California does not require we tell your parents before you have surgery.

CALLER: So it’s all right even if like I’ll be 14 in March and it’s still okay?

CLINIC: Yes.

CALLER: Okay. Is it — do you know like — well do you guys do the pregnancy tests there?

CLINIC: Yeah, we can do a pregnancy test here. If you want to come in during our walk-in hours for pregnancy testing there’s no charge.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Do you know what day you’d like to come in for a test?

CALLER: I’d have to call my boyfriend to see when he can bring me, but.

CLINIC: Okay. We’re here tomorrow morning from 8:30 to 1.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: We’re closed Monday, but then Tuesday you can call and get the hours at the beginning of the tape if you’d like.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: For pregnancy tests.

CALLER: Okay. Is it like — my boyfriend was actually wondering too about the birth control and everything.

CLINIC: We would give that to you the day of the surgery you did your surgery here.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: If you came in for a test and the test was negative, we can get you started with some birth control.

CALLER: You wouldn’t have to tell anybody that I’m on birth control?

CLINIC: Nope.

CALLER: Would he be able to come and pick it up?

CLINIC: No. You’d have to be here yourself.

CALLER: Oh. He’s 22. He can’t pick it up?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: We need to see you personally.

CALLER: Okay. So you guys wouldn’t have to tell anybody at all?

CLINIC: If you want to get birth control here it’s all confidential, and if you want to have surgery here it’s all confidential.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: How long have you been with this guy?

CALLER: A year — like a year.

CLINIC: A year and a half?

CALLER: Well, not all – like a little over a year.

CLINIC: Okay. The reason I was asking because of the age difference. It’s kind of unusual.

CALLER: What do you mean?

CLINIC: Well, you’re 13 and him 22. He knows he can get in trouble for that, doesn’t he?

CALLER: What do you mean? What kind of trouble?

CLINIC: Well, I mean, if someone — if he’s over 18 and you’re 13.

CALLER: But we’re in love. We’re going to get married.

CLINIC: Okay. But if you’re going to get married, why is this all confidential?

CALLER: Because my parents hate him.

CLINIC: Oh, I see. Okay. All right. Hold on. Well, just to let you know, there are certain things that are reportable.

CALLER: Like what?

CLINIC: If someone is your age with someone that age there’s a possibility that they may want to talk to you when you get here.

CALLER: Could he get in trouble or anything?

CLINIC: It’s kind of hard to say. They would have to — if you came in saying you’re 13 years old. It’s unusual for a 13-year-old to be with someone 22 because of his age. There’s a possibility – I mean, you could explain to them the situation but sometimes it’s required that we report certain things to make sure there’s no problem going on and you’re not being coerced into a relationship.

CALLER: Well, no.

CLINIC: Okay.

CALLER: Do you have to report it?

CLINIC: If you make everything clear there’s a possibility they won’t have to.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: You have to make it clear what the situation is.

CALLER: Do I have to tell them?

CLINIC: If it’s like you say, I don’t see why.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay?

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: We just want to make sure everything’s okay and this is something you want to do and you’re not being forced or any type of unusual circumstances.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Okay? But it sounds like from what you’re saying that things are okay. I just want you to know there’s certain things you say here that it might not be so good for you.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: All we need to know is that you need surgery or that you need birth control. Okay?

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